The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-02-06


food In this connection it may be said that the
summer duck Is the only one known 20 build
nests in trees. They are eagerly sought for py |
hunters, many of whom regard them as being |
equal in flavor to the famous canvas-back of the
Chesapeake but their seclusive habits and |
yearly diminishing numbers makes half dozen
day good bag for the best shot. few teal
and mallards also breed here, but as a rule they
seek more northerly cline. Jack snipe find |
many places to their liking along the edge of |
the marshes, and from spring-time until late in |
the fall make the air resound with their |
''scape." Many pheasants find hiding places in |
the thick underbrush, but the sportsman who |
would kill them must be on the alert, as when |
flushed they fly like the wind. Twovarieties of the
giant wooapecker-one coal black with red |
wings, and the other notified gray-now ex
tinct in this section of the State, occasion |
ally seen They are exceedingly wary. and it is
seldom that good specimen can be secured for
the taxidermist. Red-wing blackbirds in count
less numbers can be found here from early
spring until the cold weather drives them further
south Coots, or mud hens, didapper ducks and
bitterns were once quite plenty along the river,
but these have been nearly eImiLated by the
hunter, who, as rule, kills them merely Tor
sport.
| In the marsh north of Red Oaks is noted
| breeding for the sandhi crane. 1t was
| here that DR.. Hadley, of this city, while on
| hunting expedition, last fall, became en-
| tranced with their peculiar trumpeting call, that
| he resolved to secure one for his cabinet, but
| dsmaliy failed. Nearly every morning, long before
/
and swamps to their feeding ground, with the
| hope of getting within gun-shot while they were
| flying from their nightly roost, but their argus
| eyes never failed to detect the intruder, and
they were always sure to alight hundred yards
| out of range. One morning, when provoked
more than usual at their perversity he deter
mined TO make sneak them while they were
| taking breakfast. Accordingly, he buckled his
gun to his back, got down his hands and
knees, and commenced to crawl within range
After an hour of elbowing through the water
and grass he concluded that he was within shoot
| ing distance, and cautiously resumed an upright
| position to take survey of the situation. His
surprise mingled with disgust when ne saw
| the cranes were still as far away ever, having
taken step in the opposite direction for every
yard he had crawled towards them. Quietly
watching them for few moments playing their
favorite game something resembling hop scotch
or leap frog, he blaZed away with both barrels
of his gun. and then turned sadly back to camp.
The Doctors cabinet contains no specimen OF
| the sandhill crane, but he now has greater re-
spect for the intelligence of the long-legged bird
The Kankakee is great river for turtles, and
| their splash, splash, splash, as they tumble Oft
the logs and overhanging trees at the approach
| of boat is about the only noise that breaks an
| otherwise unbroken silence. At one time the
| river a noted place for fish, but the un-
restricted use of nets and other unlawful ap
pliances long ago robbed it of its valuable
retes The little bull head catfish is still num-
erous, but almost worthless for either sport or
food Pike perch and the great northern pike
once plenty, are now rarely caught except with
the net and then only in limited numbers. The
latter fish makes its home in the bayou, and are
easily caught by placing trammel net at the
point where it joins the river, thus making a
sure trap for the frightened fish as it seeks to
, escape from the noise made by the drivers. who
commence at the head Of the Enclosure and beat
every foot of the water with poles, and otherwise
make rs great racket possible. The little
sunfsh, red-eye and croppe are whimsical biters
| in fall months. but now and then, around pile
of drftwood, afford a few hours sport to one who
uses the humble worm as lure
Every foot of the river and bayous, except
, that owned by hunting clubs, is claimed by trap
, | pers, either under presumption purchase from
pre- emptors. They lay no claim to the land or
woods, but simply the right privilege to trap
fur bearing animals in the proper season. This
right must be looked after each year. before the
commencement of the season, or the trapper is
liable to find his territory preempted by some
one else To protect his claim he goes over the
ground in September, places stakes in a certain
position and sometimes leaves few sprung traps
hidden along the river. where they cannot be seen
except by brother trapper By doing this he shows
be pre-emptors that he is still in the field
, and intends to exercise his rights at the proper
, season This is an unwritten law among the
I trappers and it would be made very uncomfort-
able for the one who attempts to violate it.
: Trapping along the Kankakee is a profitable
Q business in favorable seasons. the principal ami
s NAL caught being the odoriferous muskrat Ed
: ellison, of Hebron, who lays claim to one of the
best rights on the river, is trapper and hunter
r known to every person who visits that section
His cabin at Red Oaks is always open to the be
: lated outer in search of camping ground, and
f he has made many friends by his courteous treat
ment of guests He has trapped and hunted a
i this point for the past 20 years, a seasons worl
| usually netting him about two thousand rat-skins
fifty otter and mink, and number of raccoons
v These, after drying and curing, he ships tt
| | Chicago. No bait is used to catch muskrats
y The trap is first securely chained to log roo
. of tree, and then placed inch under waite
b on the runway which the little animal uses ir
: going back and forth from his hole to the river
9 Sometimes they succeed in cheating the trap
}. but it is usually with the loss of foot or leg
b Raccoons, mink and otter, when caught. make
n vigorous fight for freedom, and have been know
v to knaw off leg to secure release. When fount
d alive the trapper quickly puts them out of mis-
# cry by hitting them on the head with the marrow
e edge of his push paddle
), | Skunks are quite numerous IN certain local.
@ ties, and, their skins being quite valuable, ar
q eagerly sought by class of trappers who kee
d dogs for this branch of their business. But
dog which has caught skunk has no bushes
s within hailine distance of humanity. He is eve
q afterwards offensive disgrace to his kind
t The story is told that Jake Bombarger, well
n known sportsman Of the city. while hunting il
) this section, overtaken by nightfall befor
b he reached camp While founderng throug
q the woods he something white few fee
a ahead. Thinking it might be Canada COOS
,r that had strayed away from the marsh. he cooke
Is his gun and waited for it to rise. This it did
le do and. being in an investigating turn of minG
"a he gently poked it with the muzzle of his gur
n 1t proved to be a white marked polecat 1t wa
N loaded and its aim was true Mr.. Bombarge
/. has given up hunting geese in the woods, an
<, carefully shuns anything that looks white afte
,e dark.
,e OWNERS OF VALUABLE PAINTINGS.
a Works of Famous Artists That Adorn til
Of Walls of TndiananoliS Homes